


Second Story

by fuzipenguin



Series: Royal Heirs [3]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Asexual Character, Asexuality Spectrum, Birth, Bodily Fluids, Established Relationship, Heir To The Throne, M/M, Multi, Other, POV Alternating, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:27:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24072937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuzipenguin/pseuds/fuzipenguin
Summary: Starscream and the Twins have married, reluctantly done 'the deed', and now enter into a new stage of life: Creatorhood. They each are a little overwhelmed in their own way...
Relationships: Sideswipe/Starscream/Sunstreaker (Transformers)
Series: Royal Heirs [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1189513
Comments: 10
Kudos: 52





	Second Story

“All right, Dads…” Ratchet announced, wiping down the inside of Starscream’s straining thighs. “… are you ready? We’re close now, and it’ll be your turn soon.”

“We’re here,” Sunstreaker announced, striding up behind Ratchet on the left. “Sides? You coming?”

“Yup, I’ll be right there!” Sideswipe replied cheerfully to his twin. Then he leaned down and nuzzled Starscream’s cheek. “You’re doing great, Star… you got this.”

Sideswipe gave Starscream’s hand one last squeeze, and then extricated himself from Starscream’s grasping fingers. Starscream’s other hand was firmly held by Optimus, who was crooning softly to Starscream. He used a damp towel to wipe at Starscream’s face, absorbing the tears which came and went.

Starscream made a displeased sound as Sideswipe stood, but another contraction turned it into a painful grunt instead. As Sideswipe made his way to Sunstreaker’s side, Starscream’s free hand grabbed hold of the edge of the bed, tightly enough that Sideswipe heard the creak of his knuckle joints from several feet away.

Sideswipe wished they could have given Starscream pain blockers, but apparently he had gone into labor so quickly that there hadn’t been time. All they could do was hold his hand and talk him through it. For his sake, Sideswipe hoped the sparkling came quickly. That, and he couldn’t wait to finally meet their creation!

Feeling tiny pedes kick Starscream’s carrying-soft abdominal plating had been amazing enough. Soon, the little one would be here, and Sideswipe would actually be able to play with those tiny feet and hands!

“Are you ready, Starscream? The pod is crowning, so we just need a few more good pushes,” Ratchet announced, leaning down and peering at the apex of Starscream’s thighs.

“’We’?” Starscream snapped. “I don’t… nngh!... see _you_ doing any pushing!”

“Shh… don’t be cross with Ratchet. It’s almost over, bitlet,” Optimus said soothingly. “Then you can rest.”

“Uh… Ratchet?” 

Sideswipe looked over at his twin. Sunstreaker was staring fixedly at Starscream’s groin, his optics huge. His ventilations hitched and then doubled in speed as a dark pink viscous fluid dribbled out of the entrance to Starscream’s valve, the lips spread wide. Something dark and round was slowly emerging from the shadowed depths, advancing with every one of Starscream’s pushes and spreading the valve pleats wider and wider. 

“Is that supposed… supposed to…?”

Sunstreaker trailed off, swaying on his feet. Sideswipe reached out and took hold of his elbow to steady him, concerned.

“Sunny?”

Sunstreaker turned his head to look at him, his optics flickering. He opened his mouth to speak, but Starscream let out an awful shriek and their heads whipped around to stare at their spouse. Starscream’s abdomen contracted down tight and his wings shivered as the black sparkling-pod slid a third of the way out.

“Everything’s going normally,” Ratchet said, absent-mindedly. “Just be ready with that towel to take him.”

Sunstreaker, who was holding the warming towel Ratchet had been referring to, made an odd little gurgling sound and then collapsed to the floor. Sideswipe jumped in surprise at the loud thud Sunstreaker made as he landed and leaned over his brother, poking his shoulder.

“Ah… Sunny?”

“Ah, I’ve heard that sound before. Not uncommon for a creator to hit the ground. He pass out, I take it?” Ratchet asked over his shoulder, chuckling.

From what Sideswipe could tell, Sunstreaker was in a complete systems reboot. Sideswipe shook his head, tsking. “Big bad Sunstreaker. I’m going to make fun of him for this for the rest of his life. C’mon, Sunny, you’re in our way.”

Sideswipe hurriedly grabbed his twin’s arms and dragged him across the carpeted floor to prop him against the side of the bed. Then he pulled the towel out of Sunstreaker’s hands and moved back to Ratchet’s side.

“One twin down, the other ready and waiting!” Sideswipe announced, staring in fascination at the emerging pod. He was extremely glad he had the easy job in all this; pushing that thing out didn’t look fun in the slightest.

“He passed out? Sunstreaker passed out?!” Starscream demanded shrilly, gripping Optimus’ hands so tightly that Optimus winced. “Why can’t _I_ pass out?!”

“Because you have to push, Star. So… _push!”_

After another two or so minutes of pushing, groaning, grunting, and more complaining, the black stasis pod finally popped past the ring of resistance and into Ratchet’s waiting hands.

Ratchet immediately turned to the side and Sideswipe stepped forward, towel stretched between his hands. He accepted the sticky, gooey pod and brought it over to the nearby table, while Ratchet and Optimus saw to Starscream.

The twins’ job had been to clean the pod and help the sparkling to emerge. They had been walked through every step, made to memorize signs of possible issue. Sideswipe had originally thought it would better as a one person job anyway, so maybe it worked out for the best that Sunstreaker had passed out.

He picked up the warmed cleanser cloths and began to systematically wipe down the outside of the pod, hands carefully gentle. He rolled the capsule back and forth, being sure to get all of its surface. Just when he finished removing the birthing fluids, the pod shook in his hands and a fine crack appeared in one side.

“There you go…” Sideswipe murmured. “Right on time. Come on out, little one. I can’t wait to see you.”

More and more cracks appeared and as Sideswipe continued to stroke a dry cloth over the surface, they widened. Little by little, the sparkling unfolded itself until it lay within Sideswipe’s hands. At first, Sideswipe was worried, because after the unfurling, it didn’t move for several moments. But then it stirred, head shifting back and forth and its little limbs waving about.

“See? That wasn’t that hard, was it?” Sideswipe asked, grabbing fresh blankets and carefully swaddling the sparkling until only the head was exposed. Sideswipe then took a corner of a fresh cleaning cloth and ever so carefully passed it over the sparkling’s optic shutters. The sparkling began to click and whirl, turning its head to try and avoid the soft cloth.

“No, no, you gotta let me do it so you can open them,” Sideswipe chided quietly. “Let me see those pretty little optics.”

As if hearing Sideswipe’s request, the sparkling’s shutters fluttered and then laboriously opened. Sideswipe’s arm froze, the cloth hanging in mid-air as he met his sparkling’s unfocused sky blue optics. They were nowhere near as dark as his and Sunstreaker’s and even lighter than Starscream’s. Sideswipe couldn’t remember if they would darken or otherwise change colors. He could only stare transfixed as the sparkling’s little lips moved, emitting a squeaky cry.

“How’s he doing, Sideswipe?” Ratchet asked, startling Sideswipe out of his trance. He carefully slid his hands under the sparkling’s body and cradled him, marveling over how small he was.

He carefully walked over to the birthing bed and next to Ratchet who was wiping his hands down. Sideswipe dipped a little and showed off the sparkling, Ratchet’s optics flickering as he gave him a quick scan.

“Good job, Sideswipe. He looks great. Very healthy,” Ratchet said, reaching out and gently stroking a finger over the sparkling’s forehelm. “Go show Star the results of all his efforts.” 

Sideswipe nodded and carefully made his way around the foot of the bed to the other side. He propped a hip against the edge, scooching onto it and pressing his shoulder against Starscream’s.

“Star, look!” Sideswipe urged. “Look at him! Isn’t he adorable?”

Starscream shifted and opened his optics. He stared at the sparkling for a moment and then reached out a shaky hand, trailing a finger down the sparkling’s cheek.

“He’s so little… didn’t feel little coming out,” Starscream remarked crankily.

Sideswipe felt shifting air currents a moment before he looked up and saw Optimus step in close. He peered down over Sideswipe’s shoulder and sighed.

“You were that small once,” Optimus said, looking over at Starscream. “Just little nubs for wings and squalling your head off. This one’s pretty quiet.”

The sparkling was clicking and squeaking, blinking its little optics at them as he turned his head to see who was speaking.

“Guess that’s how you got your designation, huh?” Sideswipe asked, grinning. “What do you want to name him?”

Starscream shrugged and closed his optics, resettling against the bed. “I don’t know. You and Sunstreaker choose.”

“But don’t you care?” Sideswipe asked, a little surprised. The three of them had decided they would name their sparkling in the hours immediately after he unfurled, basing the designation on their creation’s frame type and colors. Some creators took weeks to find a name based on emerging personality, but none of them wanted to wait that long.

“I care about sleeping. I’m exhausted. I’m sure Sunstreaker will rein you in if need be.”

Starscream’s systems started powering down as Sideswipe glanced over to see his brother still on the floor. Ratchet stood over him, shaking his head ruefully.

“Um. Ok. Hey, Ratchet?”

The house doctor turned his head, acknowledging Sideswipe with a raised orbital ridge.

“Is Sunny ok? He’s been out for a while now,” Sideswipe said, starting to get a little concerned.

Ratchet nonchalantly waved a hand through the air and bent down to heft Sunstreaker up, carefully draping him across the end of the bed. “It was a hard reset. His systems are nearly as stressed as Starscream’s are. Fretting a lot these past few days, huh?”

Not that he let anyone other than Sideswipe see, but absolutely. Sideswipe nodded, smiling a little.

“He was quietly freaking out, yeah.”

Ratchet nodded. “Give him a few more minutes. He’ll come around. Then make sure he gets some rest and fuels up. Speaking of, let’s get your feeding system going for the little one since you’re the only one functional right now.”

Ratchet walked Sideswipe through his first use of the feeding line. Optimus and Ratchet both had given them some instructions ahead of time so it wasn’t that difficult, and soon, the sparkling was happily sucking away, his feet kicking fitfully against his blanket prison.

“Excellent,” Ratchet said after watching for a moment. “Good flow and he’s latched on well. Don’t expect him to take much in; his tanks are incredibly small right now.”

“’k,” Sideswipe said absently, watching the sparkling’s tiny little lips as they sucked on the interchangeable nub. He had the sparkling laid out on his lap sideways, one hand cupping the side of the sparkling’s helm with his wrist positioned by the sparkling’s shoulder, the feeding line extending out from it. His other hand stroked his thumb across the sparkling’s cheek, over and over, marveling at the softness.

“You’re doing great, Sideswipe,” Optimus said, bending down to murmur it into Sideswipe’s audial. He squeezed Sideswipe’s shoulder and then moved off, helping Ratchet clean up. The gentle tinkling of Ratchet’s tools being put away was a soothing backdrop of sound after Starscream’s recent hollering.

A few feet away, Starscream’s vents started rasping in tiny little snores. Sunstreaker was stirring along their bond, the sparkling was snug in Sideswipe’s lap, and he idly wondered if this was what true happiness felt like.

\--

Sunstreaker opened his optics and stared at the ornate ceiling for a minute before a soft noise off to his right caught his attention. He turned his head, blinking several times to clear his visual input. He saw his brother sitting in a chair next to Starscream’s birthing couch. Starscream appeared to be in an exhausted recharge, his wings drooping off the bed enough to drag against the floor. And Sideswipe was bent over a weakly moving bundle in his lap, humming quietly to himself.

“Sideswipe?”

Sideswipe lifted his head and straightened. He smiled at Sunstreaker, moving his right arm carefully with a little twisting motion before lifting it up into the air and waving.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty!” Sideswipe called out quietly. “Wanna come see what you helped make?”

As Sunstreaker leveraged himself upright, Sideswipe carefully slid his hands under the bundle and inclined it. Sunstreaker froze as a tiny little face came into view.

“Is that…?” Sunstreaker asked hesitantly.

“Yup! Come here and see him, Daddy!”

Sunstreaker rolled to his feet and padded over, squatting next at Sideswipe’s side and peering down at the small creature. As he took in its features, Sideswipe took out a small cleaning wipe and patted down the sparkling’s cheeks and lips.

“What are you doing?” Sunstreaker asked, hushed. It didn’t feel right to raise his voice from more than a whisper in the sparkling’s presence.

“I just fed him, so cleaning him up a little. It took him a second or two to latch on and fuel dribbled a bit,” Sideswipe said matter-of-factly. Sunstreaker transferred his stare to his twin.

“You? _You_ fed him?”

Sideswipe glanced down at him with an unimpressed look. “Well, unlike some people, I paid attention in baby class. And knew what to expect so I wouldn’t pass out,” he said, gesturing with his head over to Starscream.

Sunstreaker looked off to the side, his entire flame flushing. “I knew what to expect. It was just different seeing it in real life than in pictures… is Star ok?”

“Tired,” Sideswipe said with a frown. “He didn’t even want to hold the baby. Or name him. Told me to do it. Well, told us to do it, but you were lying in a heap on the floor, so I named him.”

A wave of dread washed over Sunstreaker and he glanced around. Optimus and Ratchet were gone, although he heard a few clinks and the faint sound of water in the attached washracks, so one or both of them might still be nearby. Hopefully whatever asinine name Sideswipe picked out wasn’t yet official.

“And what, pray tell, did you name him?” Sunstreaker asked wearily, remembering all the ‘Wiggles’, ‘Chubbies’, and ‘Blobs’ Sideswipe had used on the multitude of injured animals Sideswipe had taken in and nursed over the years.

Sideswipe smiled, a soft expression that Sunstreaker wasn’t used to seeing on his brother’s face. “I haven’t told Optimus yes, but I wanted to name the little one after him. You know, since he can’t have any more kids of his own? So I thought Rodimus. Rodimus Prime. Hot Rod for short. He’s definitely gonna be a grounder, maybe even a speedster. I mean, have you seen his colors?”

The blanket was gently unraveled and Sunstreaker saw that the sparkling was largely red, a color more in the orange spectrum than anything. Just peeking through the base color were hints of yellow and even a thin line of blue here and there.

Sunstreaker was silent for a moment before he slowly nodded. “I… like it actually. Optimus will be ridiculously pleased.”

“I thought so,” Sideswipe said, placing a palm over the spark… er, _Hot Rod’s_ abdomen. Practically his entire body fit under Sideswipe’s hand. “And maybe for short, I’ll call him Little Wriggly Boo-Boo.”

He bent down and kissed Hot Rod’s forehelm, nuzzling his cheek. Hot Rod gurgled a little, his tiny arms waving around excitedly.

“He’s so beautiful, isn’t he ? … I love him. I already love him so much…” Sideswipe commented, straightening back up. He sniffed and he hurriedly wiped at his face as coolant tears spilled from his optics. Sunstreaker stared up at his brother in concern, placing a hand on Sideswipe’s knee.

“Sides…? You just met him,” Sunstreaker ventured. He was used to his twin getting excited over small little animals, but this was much more than that. 

Sideswipe violently shook his head. “No. I’ve known him for forever. He’s a part of me, of both of us. His spark is so familiar and I just… I just never thought… thought it would be p-possible for me to l-love s-s-someone as much as I l-love you!”

He suddenly buried his face in Hot Rod’s abdomen, shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.

“Sides…” Sunstreaker stared at his brother helplessly for several seconds before pushing himself to his feet. He slid his arms over Sideswipe’s shoulders and pulled him in against Sunstreaker’s belly and let him cry.

“Everything alright?”

Sunstreaker looked up to see Optimus standing in the doorway to the washracks. Sunstreaker shrugged, stroking the top of Sideswipe’s helm.

“Yeah, both of them are fine, I think. Sideswipe is pretty worked up. Is this normal? He told me he loved Hot Rod as much as me and then starting bawling.”

A warm smile spread across Optimus’ face and he came forward. “It can be. Everyone reacts to their offspring a bit differently. Some take a little while to connect and others… well, it can be an instant, and very deep, love. And Hot Rod?”

Sideswipe struggled out of Sunstreaker’s grip and looked up at Optimus with a tear-streaked face. “For short. I wanted to call him Rodimus. After you. Is that ok?”

Optimus’ lower lip trembled a second before his mouth firmed up and he nodded. He came over and enfolded Sideswipe in a hug, squeezing him tightly. “Yes. Yes, Sideswipe, that’s definitely ok. Thank you.”

Primus. Now they were both looking weepy. Starscream had the right idea, Sunstreaker thought. Well, at least it was pretty unlikely for Ratchet to start crying his optics out. Maybe he needed some help…

\--

Starscream woke up for only a short time, muzzily looking around when he felt his pedes being lifted. He stared down at Ratchet in confusion as the medic gently rested Starscream’s heels on a thick pillow. Then Starscream made a surprised happy noise as the new position almost immediately relieved the tension in his lower back he hadn’t even realized he’d been experiencing.

“Get some more rest, kiddo,” Ratchet said quietly. “Everything’s fine. I’ll check up on all of you in a few more hours.” 

He patted Starscream on the ankle and then turned away, allowing Starscream to see Optimus straightening up at the side of Starscream’s berth. He turned to see Starscream’s optics open and beamed at him.

“They’ve just fallen asleep,” Optimus whispered, gesturing towards the lumps under the purple throw normally kept folded at the foot of the bed. Starscream caught sight of a familiar pede sticking out from beneath the blanket and Starscream realized that Optimus must have covered up the twins.

“Rodimus is tucked between the two of them, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen more of an adorable sight,” Optimus gushed as he came over and drew Starscream’s own blanket up around his shoulders, fussily tucking it in around Starscream’s frame.

“… Rodimus?” Starscream rasped, his throat feeling sore.

… probably from all the screaming he had done. Not that he felt ashamed in the slightest. Pushing a sparkling out of a valve _hurt_ , and he was quite done with that experiment, thank you very much.

“Hot Rod for short. Sideswipe named him. After me, can you believe it?” Optimus said, giving the bed and its occupants a warm, sappy glance.

“Not surprised, really,” Starscream replied, shifting to get more comfortable. “Sides adores you. And he didn’t do half bad. I actually like it.”

“You didn’t do half bad either,” Optimus said, leaning down and cupping Starscream’s cheek. Starscream leaned into the familiar touch and sighed.

“So it’s just Sunstreaker we get to make fun of?” Starscream asked drowsily, letting his optics slip closed as exhaustion resumed its pull on him.

“Oh, go easy on him. Have I ever told you what your father did the day you unfurled? He got the entire regiment…”

Starscream drifted off back into recharge to the soothing sound of his creator’s voice, content to know his sparkling was safe in his partners’ hands. When he woke up, there would be things to address… but for now, he deserved a little nap. 

They all did. 

~ End


End file.
